How often do we end up sabotaging our own happiness ?
There is a way to think through the big questions of our lives, a way to unravel at least some of the jumble of thoughts and problems we face. And that is what this message Series is all about.
“Nine sure fire ways to avoid being happy”
| TITLE | Peterson’s Rules | PODCAST | ||
| 1 | Don’t take responsibility for your life – just try to skate by | 1, 11 | Be the Lobster | |
| 2 | Isolate yourself & be passive about your relationships | 3 | Don’t Be the Hermit Crab | |
| 3 | Be arrogant, opinionated and the self-appointed judge of others | 6 | Look Up, Look In, then Look Out | |
| 4 | Despise yourself and beat yourself up with perfectionism. Repeat. | 2 | Self Inflicted Wounds | |
| 5 | Don’t take the Sabbath or play seriously – and treat your job like it was your life | 12 | Pursue Meaning and Sabbath over Expediency | |
| 6 | Avoid conflict and telling the truth – live in unreality and help others do the same | 10,8 | Tell the Truth or at least don’t lie | |
| 7 | Refuse to be the parent – set yourself & your children up for a life of misery | 5 | Raising our kids to flourish | |
| 8 | Envy other peoples and compare yourself to them whenever possible | 4 | Don’t trust Envy, Do trust God | |
| 9 | Avoid the possibility of God, and in so doing, cut yourself off from the very resources you need most. | Part One: Jacob’s Ladder. Part Two: Thanks-Giving-Happiness |
Do any of the ridiculous ways of living listed above sound a little too familiar ? Each week we will look at the way we sabotage ourselves, then study the scriptures that can show us the way out to a better life, the life God intends for us. We will also be drawing a lot of practical ideas from a recent New York Times best seller, “12 Rules For Life – an antidote to chaos” by Jordan Peterson.
Peterson taught at Harvard and is currently a professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto. He is very interested in helping modern people take responsibility for their own lives. If you are unfamiliar with Peterson, and are in the mood to think hard, you can get a good introduction to his thought by either watching this video. If you want to go deeper or are concerned about things you have heard about him, watch this video (you can skip to minute 23) or listen to this podcast. We will leverage his insights and then go a step further, turning to Jesus who says:
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – Jesus
The lordship of Jesus in our lives, and the power of the Holy Spirit of God can take us beyond the practical wisdom of Peterson. Jesus can take us beyond helpful philosophy to intimate fellowship with God. So this sermon series will be practical and welcoming and helpful to those who are unsure what they think about God, but will also expose all of us to the incredibly good news of the gospel of Jesus. We hope you can join us!